Inkwell



p 9 A. s. A. DE MELO 2,129,409

INKWELL Filed Dec. 30, 1936 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT.OFFIQE Application December 30, 1936, Serial No. 118,420 In PortugalSeptember 2, 1936 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers for writing fluids or thelike and particularly to containers of the type in which attempt is madeto provide a body of writing fluid of constant depth 5 for the purposeof insuring the immersion to the same extent of the point of a peninserted into the container from time to time.

The container or, as more commonly expressed, the inkwell, whichcomprises subject matter of the present invention includes, in additionto the usual receptacle for writing fluid or the like, a float whichnormally rests upon the surface of the writing fluid, the floatpreferably having suflicient buoyancy to not only support its own weightbut to also support the weight of a pen resting upon the same and thefloat likewise being so formed as to define a small reservoir or pocketfor writing fluid, quite apart from the main body of writing fluid inthe container, into which the pen may be clipped and in which it willalways be submerged to the same extent, regardless of the volume orlevel of the liquid within the reservoir.

The novel inkwell may be designed and constructed for use with pens ofvarious sizes and.

5 Weights, but preferably is designed for use with a pen of definitesize and weight, which pen is normally positioned with its point restingupon the float within the container but which may be readily withdrawnat any time for writing pur- 30 poses.

The invention not only provides means for ensuring that the point of apen inserted therein shall be immersed only to a predetermined constantdepth, but so functions to render available 35 for use practically everyportion of the body of ink placed within the container, and thisnotwithstanding the fact that a very small volume of ink indeed mayremain in the container after it has been in use some time Withoutrefilling, the action of the float being such as to force within the penpoint receiving recess formed therein, and thus render available foruse, the last few drops of writing fluid remaining in the container.

' 4 The container and float may be varied widely the pen while at thesame time preventing too deep an immersion of the pen in the writingfluid.

One embodiment of the invention has been selected for disclosure by wayof example, and such embodiment is illustrated in the accompany- 5; ingdrawing, in which 1 Figure 1 is an axial section through the containerand the enclosed float, a pen being illustrated in the position which itoccupies when being inserted; 10

Figure 2 is a similar View but showing the pen fully inserted and thefloat in lowermost position, with container practically empty of fluid;

Figure 3 is-a section on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a top view of the container, the pen 15, being omitted inboth Figures 3 and 4; and v Figure 5 shows in vertical axial section thecap or closure of the inkwell.

The containenas has been previously pointed out, may be formed invarious ways, but essen- 20 tially comprises a tubular portion or barrelH],

a bottom I I, preferably slightly. conical as shown, and a removable topl2 the lower face of which is also preferably slightly conical, tosubstantially the same degree as is the bottom. The top I2 is providedwith a central aperture l3 for the insertion of a pen, such as the penindicated at M, and encircling this aperture and projecting upwardlyfrom the top I2 is a cylindrical extension l5 provided interiorly withpen guiding ribs I6 and exteriorly with threads I l for engagement withthe interiorly threaded portion of the top or closure cap 18 which isnormally positioned to close the container when not in use. Preferablythe container barrel H3 is cylindrical. Within. the container barrel isa float 20 which may be formed in various Ways and of differentmaterials but in any case is preferably so shaped in horizontal sectionas to besubstantially coextensive in area with a horizontal sectionthrough the barrel it, the diameter of the float being only slightlyless than the inside diameter of thebarrel, to prevent binding of thefloat within the barrel as it moves vertically with the rise and. fallof the liquid level therein. The cylindrical inner surface of the barreli0 is provided with grooves 2!, or the cylindrical outer surface of thefloat 20 may be provided with vertical grooves, these grooves providingrelatively restricted fluid by-pass ducts around the float 20.

Centrally the float is provided with an aperture or recess 22 whichextends entirely through the same from top to bottom thereof and theaxis of which is aligned with the axis of the pen guiding 66 portion l5of the container. A pen inserted through the aperture IS in thecontainer top will be guided by ribs l 6 so that its point will enterthe recess 22 and the pen l4 illustrated in Figure 2 is shown in thisposition, with the annular lower end surface 24 of the barrel restingupon an annular shoulder 25 of the float, shoulder 25 encircling theaxis of recess 22. Radial grooves 26 maintain the recess 22 incommunication with the space above the float, even when the pen ispositioned as shown.

The upper portion of recess 22 is generally cylindrical, as shown, andthe lower portion is generally conical, terminating in a relativelyrestricted port 2'! formed in the lower wall or bottom of the float. Invertical transverse section therefore the recess 22 correspondssubstantially to the general shape of the pen point 28, suflicientclearance being provided between the edges of the pen point and theinner surfaces of the'walls of recess 22 to ensure that the pen point,when at any time inserted, will not contact with the walls of the recessinto which it extends, and quite regardless of the angular relativerelationship of the pen and float at the time of insertion. The penpoint 28 is likewise slightly shorter than recess 22 so thatnotwithstanding the fact that the float 20 may move downwardly as theink level falls, to finally come to rest upon the bottom of thecontainer, the tip of the pen point cannot at any time strike thecontainer bottom and thereby be injured, the lower end 24 of the penbarrel coming to rest upon the shoulder 25 before the tip of point 28reaches the lower end of recess 22.

The container may be of course filled with ink until the upper surfaceof the float is in contact with the lower surface of the removable topl2. Assuming the ink level to be indicated by the dot and dash line 30,the float 20 will occupy some such position as indicated by the dottedlines 3|, when the pen is at rest upon and is being supported by thefloat. Falling of the ink level has no effect upon the extent ofimmersion of the float until the float comes to rest upon the bottom ofthe container. At all times prior to contact of the float with thebottom ll of the container, and when the pen is positioned upon thefloat, the upper surface of the relatively small body of ink within therecess 22 will be well up toward the top of this recess, for instance atthe level indicated by the dotted line 33 in Figure 2. Even when thefloat 20 comes to rest upon bottom I I as shown in this figure, thelevel of the ink in recess 22 will at first be at the elevationindicated by the line 33, practically all of the ink in the .containerhaving been forced into recess 22 by the action of the float. Hence itis clear that the float functions as a piston, making available for usepractically all of the ink originally placed in the container, animportant advantage of the invention. Likewise the rather closelyfitting float 20 functions to prevent the too rapid outflow of ink inthe event that the container is overturned, it being possible for theink to escape only around the float 20 or through the aperture 22 formedcentrally of the float and this flow being at a relatively slow rateowing to the fact that it is difiicult for air to flow around the floatinto the space between the float and the bottom of the container.

The float 20 may be fabricated of metal or any material resistant towriting fluids or the like and the container itself may be convenientlyformed of glass or composition. The entire container is inexpensive tofabricate and is economical in the use of ink when used, the body of inkwithin the container having but little surface at any time exposed tothe air. When a pen such as indicated at M is normally left in theposition shown, a very small evaporation can take place, the lower 7 endof the pen practically sealing off the upper end of recess 22. Byshaping the bottom of the container as shown, and rendering the bottomof the float correspondingly conical, the last remaining drops of fluidwill tend to drain toward the port 21 in float 20 so as to pass readilyinto recess 22 when the float comes to rest on bottom I l.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A container for writing or like fluids comprising a tubular barreland bottom, and a float in said barrel, the bottom surface of the floatbeing adapted to bear upon substantially the entire area of the bottomof the container when the container is substantially empty, and thefloat having a pen point receiving aperture therein opening to thebottom of the float into which the last remaining fluid will be forcedby the float when the float reaches its lowermost position.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the float approximates,in horizontal section, the shape of the inside of the container, and inwhich vertical grooves are formed in the container barrel for thepurpose set forth.

3. A container for writing or like fluids comprising a tubular barreland bottom, and a float in said barrel, the bottom surface of said floatbeing adapted to bear upon substantially the entire area of the bottomof the container when the container is substantially empty, said floathaving a pen point receiving aperture therein opening to the bottom ofthe float, said aperture having a diameter insuflicient to receive thebarrel of a pen, and being longer than that portion of the pen pointwhich projects from the barrel of the pen.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, said tubular barrel having guidemeans at its top for removably supporting a pen with the axis thereofvertically disposed.

5. The combination defined in claim 3, said float being sufficientlybuoyant to support the weight of a pen.

ALFREDO SILVEIRA AVILA DE MELO.

